וְעַתָּ֛ה נֶאֶסְפ֥וּ עָלַ֖יִךְ גֹּויִ֣ם רַבִּ֑ים הָאֹמְרִ֣ים תֶּחֱנָ֔ף וְתַ֥חַז בְּצִיֹּ֖ון עֵינֵֽינוּ׃
And now many nations have been gathered against you saying, “Let her be defiled and let our eyes look upon Tsiyyon.”
Morphology
- וְעַתָּה (ve-ʿattah) — Root: עת (ʿet); Form: Conjunction וְ + adverb; Translation: “and now”; Notes: Marks a shift to present hostile circumstances.
- נֶאֶסְפוּ (ne’esfu) — Root: אסף (asaf); Form: Nifal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “have been gathered”; Notes: Passive sense: nations assemble against Tsiyyon by divine allowance.
- עָלַיִךְ (ʿalayikh) — Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition עַל + suffix 2nd person feminine singular; Translation: “against you”; Notes: Directed hostility toward the daughter of Tsiyyon.
- גֹּויִם (goyim) — Root: גוי (goy); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “nations”; Notes: Refers to foreign powers surrounding Tsiyyon.
- רַבִּים (rabbim) — Root: רבב (ravav); Form: Adjective masculine plural; Translation: “many”; Notes: Stresses the overwhelming number of hostile nations.
- הָאֹמְרִים (ha-omrim) — Root: אמר (amar); Form: Definite article הַ + Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “the ones saying”; Notes: Introduces their malicious intent.
- תֶּחֱנָף (teḥenaf) — Root: חנף (ḥanaf); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “let her be defiled”; Notes: Feminine subject refers to Tsiyyon; expresses desire for her disgrace.
- וְתַחַז (ve-taḥaz) — Root: חזה (ḥazah); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “and let look”; Notes: Cohortative sense of malicious anticipation.
- בְּצִיּוֹן (be-Tsiyyon) — Root: ציון (Tsiyyon); Form: Preposition בְּ + proper noun; Translation: “upon Tsiyyon”; Notes: Tsiyyon is the target of the nations’ gloating intention.
- עֵינֵינוּ (eineinu) — Root: עין (ʿayin); Form: Noun feminine dual + suffix 1st person plural; Translation: “our eyes”; Notes: Indicates the nations’ desire to witness Tsiyyon’s downfall.